Hello. We have had one of our kitty family members for 21 yrs. For a while she wouldn't eat anything and vomited all the time and lost weight. We sought vet care but no answer was found after bloodwork and xrays. After trying every type of food out there, we finally found one she would eat. Now for the last 4 months she has stopped losing weight but eats non-stop and is not gaining weight. We feed her through out the day but she has started eating lint, dirt, floss, q-tips, etc. She will even get things out of bathroom garbage can. She throws up and has diarrhea pretty much every day. Again we have sought vet care and still, nothing found.

I just wonder if because of her age maybe she has forgotten that she has eaten...

In the blood tests did they check the T4 aka Tetraiodothyronine to test for HyperThyroidism? This test is sometimes missed because for some labs it is an added test.

Her kidney & liver enzymes were normal? Anything out of normal range on the blood tests?

Was there a urinalysis done to test her urine?

What brand/flavour food are you feeding? Wet or dry? and did the diarreah start before or after switching to this new food?

Does the eating of other things happen right after your cat eats? Is her stomach tender/sensitive/painful to the touch?

How is her water consumption? Peeing normally?

Try elevating her food & water dishes so they are about 2-4 inches off the ground by placing a phone book or something under them but ensure they won't slide off. If your girl has any nausea while bending down to eat/drink the elevated dishes will help keep the stomach acid down in her stomach, and even if there is no nausea it will make it a bit easier on her neck to reach her dish.

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I don't remember if the T4 was checked. I have put a call in to the vet to find out. I have also made her an appointment to go back in tomorrow evening. She is getting worse w/ the diahhrea.

Her kidney & liver enzymes were normal. Her kidneys are on the small side but the vet said that wasnt a problem since she is urinating fine. They checked her for bladder/kidney infection. Her water intake is still good and her she seems to be urinating okay.

Right now she is on Friskies pate' mixed grill (wet) cat food for about 1 year. It is not what I would prefer but it is all she will eat. She was on Iams her whole life until they switched their formula because of the recall and now wont touch it. She had been excessivley scratching and pulling her fur out about a year ago, so the vet said to keep her away from any fish products.

The vomiting has been going off and on now for approx 6-8 mos, but now is becoming a constant, every day or more problem. Sometimes it hairballs but mostly it is bile looking, clear and/or whatever she has decided to eat off the ground or out of the garbage cans. She dug in their the other day and got the mint floss out.

The diarhhea has been going on approx 2 wks.

Her eating of other things is all the time. Doesnt matter if she has just eaten or not. She will finish her food, go to the other cats' dishes, push them away and eat theirs and then want more. It's like she hasn't realized that she has just eaten. If we "shoosh" her away, then she just comes right back in and "begs" for more.

She does not seem to be sensitive or tender anywhere except her lower back which has always been "touchy". Even when she was a kitten.

I have put her dish on a phone book like you recommended but is too early to tell. I am not ready to give up yet though.

It's good that you've made another appt if you think the diarreah is worse for that and if they didn't test the T4 I would definately recommend having it checked.

Vomiting and diarreah together is a concern for dehydration as the cats lose a lot of water from each, especially when it goes on for a while. Are you familiar with the skin tent/pinch test? With you thumb & first finger gently pull up the skin on the back of the neck or between the shoulder blades and let go, if the skin snaps back to normal right away or within 2 seconds she is not or maybe just minimally dehydrated. If the skin takes longer than 3 seconds or stays tented she is dehydrated & may need some assistance with fluids.

I'm glad Pinky is on canned Has the scratching/fur pulling stopped since she's been on the mixed grill?

How much food is she eating in a day? Have you increased her daily portion at all to see if that helps with the eating other things or stealing the other cats food?

If you can put a lid on the garbage can or put it in a cupboard or something to try to keep her out of it, attempting to eat the floss especially, concerns me as it can get wrapped around the intestines & cut off blood flow.

A number of symptoms point towards HyperThyroidism however there are always similiar symptom possibilities.

__________________
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do

The Spirit Lives As Long As Someone Who Lives Remembers You - Navaho Saying

Vindication ~ For all those pets who became sick or lost their lives from tainted pet food